"Matt O'Toole" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
> I just looked at the specs for a 59cm Maillot Jeune. IMO, a half cm of chainstay doesn't make a
> dime's worth of difference. OK, 7mm... But I'd
still
> say both bikes are in the same class, compared to a typical
sub-41cm-chainstay
> bike. I have a hard time believing 5mm of BB drop makes any difference
either.
> Make 5mm with your thumb and forefinger, look at it, and ponder it! About
the
> head tube -- I had a 59cm Tourmalet in my garage, and it had a 190mm head
tube.
> Look around the web at some geometry charts, and you'll see this is at the
tall
> end of the spectrum. These days people have a hard time getting their
bars up
> high enough, and 2cm can make all the difference in the world.
>
> Anyway, that's why I said the Heron and Lemond were "practically"
identical --
> different from a Cannondale at one end of the spectrum, or a Trek 520 at
the
> other. But in practice, they'd fit and ride about the same as each other.
Matt,
I ride a Heron Road and Lemond Arrivee. They do ride similarly, in that they are both stable bikes,
handle well, etc... neither is squirrelly on a fast downhill, so in one sense you're right. But one
thing I've discovered is that very minor differences in frame angles do make a difference. Hell, I
had to get a different seat post when I moved to Brooks saddles due to shorter seat rails. That's
essentially the same as a 1/2 degree of seat tube angle and it made a HUGE difference. Grant
Peterson commented once about building his own Riv. with a seat tube 1/2 degree slacker for the same
reason (Brooks saddle).
The Lemond is not a Heron and there are differences that a geometry chart doesn't show. Note also
that you're comparing the larger frame sizes, where a 55-56 size would be the most common sold and
the differences are more pronounced in these sizes. Further a 7mm chainstay can make a world of
difference in chain angle. My Heron has a triple and I never get chainrub of any kind when using the
middle ring and 2nd smallest cog, something I cannot do with a triple on the Lemond and it's all do
to chainstay length. Finally, the longer chainstay's allow greater tire clearance. I can just fit a
26mm tire on the Lemond, where a 32 works on the Heron. The Riv's have even better tire clearance,
longer chainstays, wheelbase, etc.. thus have even better versatility, which is I inferred the
original post was looking for.
Steve B.
